War crimes....

Amnesty International's newly-released annual report criticize [sic] Wednesday the deaths of around 200 Israelis, at least 130 of them civilians and including 21 children, who were killed in suicide bombings and other "deliberate attacks" by Palestinian militants.

This "deliberate targeting of civilians by Palestinian armed groups," the report says, "constituted crimes against humanity."

The report also charged that the Israel Defense Forces killed some 600 Palestinians, including more than 100 children, between January and December 2003.

According to the report, most of those who died were killed unlawfully, in "reckless shooting, shelling and bombing in civilian residential areas, in extra-judicial executions and through excessive use of force."

The IDF also comes under criticism for "certain abuses" that constitute war crimes, and gives the examples of unlawful killings, obstruction of medical assistance and targeting of medical personnel, the extensive and wanton destruction of property, torture and the use of "human shields."

I recently asked an Israeli-born friend, whose opinion I respect, how militant supporters of Israel can decry the deaths of Jewish children at Palestinian hands, while ignoring the deaths of Palestinian children killed by the IDF. He answered that he thought they'd charge that Palestinian terrorists deliberately target Jewish children, while the IDF strives to avoid civilian casualties--those that happen are by accident.

I think that is their rationale, but such an opinion rests on denial. First, much evidence--such as that cited above--indicates that members of the Israeli military do, in fact, deliberately target civilians. And while their actions may or may not be officially condoned, there is no doubt that bringing to bear the IDF's heavy firepower in densely-populated areas leads to dreadful civilian casualties. You might use the excuse, "We didn't mean to kill civilians," the first few times. But at this stage, the carnage is predictable, and the excuse deceitful.

Complete story here.